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Too Much Dairy?

Mia is just about to turn a year. She eats some dairy including cheese, plain yogurt, cottage cheese, and I have given her a few drinks of milk at time maybe for the last 2 or 3 days. She loves it all. Is there such a thing as too much dairy? Anyone know the recommended amount for a 12 month old? Do I just start to follow the food pyramid with all foods? She is currently bf 3 or 4 times within 24 hours. Also any recomendations for a particular brand of milk. Does anyone know about organic Stoneyfields milk? Is that a lot better? tia

Re: Too Much Dairy?

I don't know about the particular brand you mentioned, but overall organic milk is loads better. Tastes better, lasts longer too. I think it is def worth the money. I don't think it is too much more expensive either. Maybe that is just where I live....

Re: Too Much Dairy?

Originally Posted by Mia'sMom

Mia is just about to turn a year. She eats some dairy including cheese, plain yogurt, cottage cheese, and I have given her a few drinks of milk at time maybe for the last 2 or 3 days. She loves it all. Is there such a thing as too much dairy? Anyone know the recommended amount for a 12 month old? Do I just start to follow the food pyramid with all foods? She is currently bf 3 or 4 times within 24 hours. Also any recomendations for a particular brand of milk. Does anyone know about organic Stoneyfields milk? Is that a lot better? tia

Hey- I don't have an answer for you, but Mia isn't a 12mo old YET!!! I'm very defensive about this! If you rush things, that means Aaron is a 12mo old, too!

Re: Too Much Dairy?

I am not sure about organic milk, but I would assume it is better than the regular non-organic. As for the dairy question, I would suggest that you make sure that your dd has a variety of foods. Whole milk is very fattening, and I have had a couple of younger cousins get very overweight b/c they would drink a lot of milk and not eat much anything else, because the milk filled them up. My ds is just 9 months, but I have already been reading up on how much dairy to give him when he turns a year. I believe it is 3 servings a day for dairy, but 1 serving I believe for a 1 year old is 4 ounces. But I would check w/you ped. to make sure. I would think think 12-16 ounces of milk a day would be sufficient, assuming she will be drinking other fluids too.

Re: Too Much Dairy?

I believe that the recommendation for dairy/milk is 16-20 ounces a day. That can be in the form of cheeses, yogurt, and milk, etc (for kids that don't like to drink it, like Haylee). I think that it is very important to buy organic dairy--nonorganic is loaded with hormones that encourage milk production in the lactating bovine. I refuse to give Haylee any dairy that isn't organic, or at least hormone free, and I don't drink it myself.

You can look at some of the dairy she is receiving as protein...like the cheeses. In effect, she would then be able to drink more milk. I really think that as long as it isn't making up the only portion of her diet, you don't have anything to worry about. When she stops eating other things, and only wants to drink milk, you might try to make some changes.

And yes, you can start to look at what she is eating and allowing it to start to follow the pyramid (we don't really do that at our house, because we try to eat everything in moderation--throughout a week and not necessarily every day).

Re: Too Much Dairy?

One thing I've heard about drinking TOO much milk (or other dairy products) is that it can sometimes contribute to anemia, since calcium interferes with iron absorption. I don't have any refs on this, but maybe someone else does? Since Jeremy had a problem with anemia a couple of months ago, I try to have one meal where I have little or no dairy and make that meal (usually dinner) especially iron rich (legumes, tofu, turkey or chicken, eggs, millet, dark greens, etc.).

Otherwise, he loves yogurt (has a big bowl for lunch everyday) and is turning into a fan of cheese. We haven't done much cow's milk yet, but I might start trying that (he's still nursing a lot, so there's no real need). Like the PPs, I always try to get organic milk, yogurt, etc. But I've found it very hard to get organic cheese, except for string mozzerela which he likes but which is BORING. I've given him some gruyere the past few days and he has loved it. Has anyone had success in getting flavorful organic cheese besides those fairly processed ones? (organic string cheese, organic "American" cheese slices, etc.). I don't have a Whole Foods near me, so I'm limited to what's in my local health food store.

Re: Too Much Dairy?

Annie, I just saw your post and that is what my dr. told me. Not my ped. but my dr. and that's what I do. If I am giving the iron rich foods, I give an orange, watermelon, or some other vitamin c rich food and no dairy. And I give the dairy seperately usually as a snack.